1 minute ago, JerryM said:

The line was: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.

The Democrats sat -- it was a grade school setup as, if Democrats stood, Trump was prepared to pivot to "Well then why don't you?"

This resurfaced this week.

"Well, I mean, Chris, that’s been a failed play for 20 years," Murphy replied. "So you are right that that has been the Democratic strategy for 30 years, maybe, and it has failed to deliver for the people we care about most, the undocumented Americans that are in this country."

https://www.aol.com/news/connecticut-sen-murphy-resurfaced-video-173250857.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAB66ND9glQzAzaYxkPps5mfJNr02XTnDTHXQws5uKPPGM-WPiFklTNJmIteQVLd6fvO9fXUTdN_qekRvTKkjgJnClemk0BlzPgNIOuDkK28AXWDSQFIBa_-o98dORHBZp60GY31bLuoriRq4u4Ejd5veLmqFkMSCGRA6X2EeK4zQ

So protect and care ab out are the same thing. Trump was right. Thanks. Clever setup.

But if you read the FEB 2024 FoxNews report Murphy was referencing 'undocumented Americans' in terms of a new border bill -- not Trump's macro statement in SOTU.

10 minutes ago, JerryM said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Take the 2026 State of the Union. The immigration segment everyone talked about - the “stand if you agree” moment. That wasn’t just a line in a speech, it was a clever setup.

The line was: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.

The Democrats sat -- it was a grade school setup as, if Democrats stood, Trump was prepared to pivot to "Well then why don't you?" instead of "Isn't that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself not standing up"

I agree - it was a complete 'grade school setup' - the 'why don't you' option was still the better option, but emotion and judgment of the man superseded the comments...

If the Democrat stood they would have presented short-term loss, but longer-term control.

- Would look like they’re agreeing with Trump - even if they’re not.

- Would have blurred their opposition - weakened their messaging.

- Would have given him a soundbite: “even Democrats support this”.

But…

- It would have avoided looking cold or disconnected from the issue itself.

- It would have kept the focus on policy rather than personalities.

- I would have Given them room later to say: “we support the principle, not his approach”.

Standing would have been more strategic and disciplined.

As they remained seated, short-term satisfaction was chosen. long-term risk.

- Signalled clear opposition to Trump whatever the comment or policy.

- It Played well to their own base.

- It was emotionally and morally consistent at least.

But…

- It Created poor optics - It looked like opposing the idea, not the man.

- It handed Trump the perfect clip to weaponise.

- It reinforced the narrative of division and stubbornness.

Remaining seated was the weaker play, and that’s why I used this as an example.

At that level, emotion should not call the shots - in a no-win situation the politicians should be taking the shallowest hit. Instead, they allowed it to be about Trump and not the policy - a boycott of the man driven by emotion over judgement - IMO that’s a mistake people at that level shouldn’t be making.

It’s why I believe that even if some of his policies are genuinely solid, certain people simply can’t bring themselves to view them objectively or through balanced optics - judgement is already made the moment Trump is mentioned.

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

- It Created poor optics - It looked like opposing the idea, not the man.

Oh gawd it's Burns & Allen time.

Whatever the optics, bombs going off in Tehran will push those optics off the front page.

There was actually a Soapbox topic The Midterms are Decided based on Trump's SOTU stunt.

Reading some of your voluminous stuff reminds me of the old Philadelphia joke:

Contest First Prize: One week in Philadelphia

Contest Second Prize: Two weeks in Philadelphia

4 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Yeah like a dope smoking Chicago DEI machine politico who was clean and articulate and a one term Senator

I miss the confused emoji, because I have not a clue what this means

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

So do I approve of Trump? No… and also yes.

Exactly my feeling. Love his policies, wish he would quit beating some dead horses

1 minute ago, Cave Johnson said:

I miss the confused emoji, because I have not a clue what this means

Google is youfr friend. Try: which President was a clean and articulate one term Democratic machine senator from Chicago

Per the topic heading (in part): Trump's handling of affairs

Has does one handle a war incident in Iran:

Trump: Iran war will end when I ‘feel it in my bones’

The president insisted the economy will rebound after the war.

03/13/2026

President Donald Trump did not commit to a definitive timeline for the war in Iran, saying in a Friday interview that the fighting would end when he feels it “in my bones.”

Trump told Fox News Radio that he didn’t think the war “would be long.” But he suggested that only he will know when it will be over, saying the conflict will end “when I feel it, feel it in my bones.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/trump-iran-war-ending-timeline-00828138

NB That was just Trump being Trump

1 hour ago, JerryM said:

Oh gawd it's Burns & Allen time.

Whatever the optics, bombs going off in Tehran will push those optics off the front page.

There was actually a Soapbox topic The Midterms are Decided based on Trump's SOTU stunt.

Reading some of your voluminous stuff reminds me of the old Philadelphia joke:

Contest First Prize: One week in Philadelphia

Contest Second Prize: Two weeks in Philadelphia

Well, you’d object even if you agreed - that’s the point... (stripped it to the basics - dumbed it down just for you).

Just now, richard_smith237 said:

Well, you’d object even if you agreed - that’s the point... (stripped it to the basics - dumbed it down just for you).

Richard's kid at 8 PM says "Tell me a bedtime story Daddy". Richard complies

Wife comes in at 1 AM -- Dear you can stop your story the kid fell asleep 4 and a half hours ago.

9 minutes ago, JerryM said:

10 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Well, you’d object even if you agreed - that’s the point... (stripped it to the basics - dumbed it down just for you).

Richard's kid at 8 PM says "Tell me a bedtime story Daddy". Richard complies

Wife comes in at 1 AM -- Dear you can stop your story the kid fell asleep 4 and a half hours ago.

Classic ad hominem - attack the person, ignore the argument. Not even clever enough to land an intelligent blow... Try harder.

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

Classic ad hominem - attack the person, ignore the argument. Not even clever enough to land an intelligent blow... Try harder.

I don't want to have to read 20 paragraphs to figure out what is your argument.

15 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Richard's kid at 8 PM says "Tell me a bedtime story Daddy". Richard complies

Wife comes in at 1 AM -- Dear you can stop your story the kid fell asleep 4 and a half hours ago.

Dude, this is funny.

12 hours ago, Yagoda said:

President Newsome then? Or AOC? Or Pritzker?

Or Josh Shapiro? Jason Crow? Elisa Slotkin?

Heck, Pee Wee Herman would be vastly superior to Trump, even dead.

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I recall you were enthusiastically supporting him during the election.

Were you trolling at the time?

You recalled completely wrong then.

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

if reading more than a few lines is too much effort, by all means, just ignore the content and default to your bias...

Brevity is the soul of wit. -- Hamlet, Shakespeare.

11 hours ago, BLMFem said:

Again, just listen. If this makes sense to you then contact mental health personnel immediately.

Yeah, well that's YOUR media's version of events.

That Trump is a babbling idiot.

Keep going with that narrative if it makes you feel good.

I haven't watched this video in its entirety because I don't have time, but this journalist asks "Are we heading towards the Straits of Trump?".

But this gift which you claim is delusion could be one of the most important geopolitical moves in a long time.

3 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Brevity be the soul of wit. -- Hamlet, Shakespeare.

Indeed... the soul of wit - not a substitute - Try harder.

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

That question is way too binary... Politics in the US has become so tribal that everything gets reduced to “which side are you on?”, and then there's Donald Trump, who doesn’t just exacerbate that divide - he blows it apart (seemingly) deliberately, just by being himself.

Take the 2026 State of the Union. The immigration segment everyone talked about - the “stand if you agree” moment. That wasn’t just a line in a speech, it was a clever setup. A political trap, plain and simple.

Republicans stood. Democrats stayed seated.

And just like that, the whole thing stopped being about immigration, or policy, or facts - it became a loyalty test. Very clever - it highlighed the real issues...

.... not just in the US, but globally. People react to Trump the personality - the theatrics, the ego, the sometimes outright ridiculous public behaviour - rather than separating that from the actual policies.

Now, is he an idiot? Clearly not. People love to say that, but idiots don’t build empires, win elections, and hold power at that level. But at the same time, he plays the fool in public far too often - and that undermines everything else he does. It muddies the waters.

IMO there's a truth thats too uncomfortable for some - some of his policies were solid. Not all, not even close, but some were pragmatic, effective, even necessary depending on how you look at them. Others… not so much. Some were badly executed, others driven more by ego than strategy.

So do I approve of Trump? No… and also yes.

It depends what you’re asking about. Which policy? Which decision? Which version of the facts - because let’s be honest, those get twisted on both sides until I can barely see the original shape.

Stripping away the noise - the media spin, the outrage machine, the blind loyalty and the blind hatred, just looking at things case by case, he can be viewed with a better balance.

I think for some, they are too locked into their 'judgment' and double down - the idea that Trump may have done some positive things is not comfortable place to go to, because it forces you people admit something most people don’t want to admit:

They can disagree with the man… and still agree with some of what he did, or vice versa.

Most people won’t say that out loud though.

I'm not sure idiots don't build empires. First, Trump didn't really build a business empire. It was a lot more puffery than reality, all funded by his dad's money. His big break was Mark Burnett accepting the old saw, "You can fool some of the people all of the time", and went about manufacturing the Game Show Host Trump. Enough dumb people in the US bought into that illusion and Trump's political career was born. Absent that show and the money and visibility it brought Trump, he'd still be paying no income taxes (as he leaked returns show), because as an actual businessman, he's a failure. The typical 8 year old with a lemonade stand has a higher rate of return on investment. Heck, Trump's dad once had to walk into an Atlantic City casino and buy $3.2 million in chips just so sonny could make a loan payment in New York. Dad co-signed all his loans. Gave Trump a massive allowance from age 3 until dad's death. Left Trump $412,000,000. Trump is the punch line in the joke:

How do you make a small fortune? Start with a large fortune.

When you say idiots don't build empires, I am reminded again of the famous quote from H.L. Mencken:

As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

I also remember that when Trump was still just a Game Show Host, one of his Wharton professors said Trump was the dumbest student he ever taught. (Dad got him in on a transfer from another university.)

As for Party performances and standing/sitting during SotU addresses, recall when Biden said, "Political violence has no place in American politics", in response to the 6 January Trump-inspired attack on the US Capitol. Not a single Republican stood or applauded.

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Indeed... the soul of wit - not a substitute - Try harder.

I am not trying at anything. You post what you want and, within forum guidelines, I'll post what i want.

I think Trump handled his affair with Karen McDougal much better than the affair with Stormy. Sure, both cost him hush money payments, but the Stormy one became way too public, even prompting Stormy to comment on Trump's junk. Her comments would instantly tell Melania and others if he'd really been with Stormy or not.

I guess he chose another way to handle his affair with Marla Maples, as he simply dumped Ivana and married Marla.

So as a serial philanderer, Trump has a mixed record.

53 minutes ago, Wingate said:

Or Josh Shapiro? Jason Crow? Elisa Slotkin?

Heck, Pee Wee Herman would be vastly superior to Trump, even dead.

Im sure you would prefer Osama Bin Laden but he is dead too

As of now, Thursday 26th morning, 20% of AN voters support Trump - I wonder how many are Americans?

14 hours ago, Yagoda said:

President Newsome then? Or AOC? Or Pritzker?

Sure any lucid sane person other than trump,I’m hoping for mark Kelley to clean up and rebuild the mess after we rid ourselves of the cancer that is trump.

Another day, another MAGA charged with child sex offences.

https://people.com/substitute-teacher-and-boyfriend-charged-after-they-allegedly-sexually-abused-girl-5-multiple-times-11926667

Substitute Teacher and Her Boyfriend Indicted After They Allegedly Sexually Abused Girl, 5, Multiple Times

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Yeah, well that's YOUR media's version of events.

That Trump is a babbling idiot.

Keep going with that narrative if it makes you feel good.

I haven't watched this video in its entirety because I don't have time, but this journalist asks "Are we heading towards the Straits of Trump?".

But this gift which you claim is delusion could be one of the most important geopolitical moves in a long time.

He is a babbling moron followed by ignorant people too blind to see facts. One day you may wake up to the stupidity you follow

7 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

...

Which side has more sex offenders?

Perhaps this will answer your question.
https://goppredators.wordpress.com/

1534 as of March 21, 2026.

https://goppredators.wordpress.com/2026/03/21/1534-harvey-lee-west/

The one I just posted about hasn't been added yet so that would make it 1535.

9 minutes ago, Dan O said:

He is a babbling moron followed by ignorant people too blind to see facts. One day you may wake up to the stupidity you follow

mainstream media is poisoning your mind.

you dont even have a clue what he's doing.

4 minutes ago, shdmn said:

Perhaps this will answer your question.

https://goppredators.wordpress.com/

So it's both sides, just as it is all over. ......https://goppredators.wordpress.com/?s=democrat+sexual+predators

Trump is destroying or degrading virtually anything he touches, and his second term has been an absolute disaster on so many different levels.

He broke his promise about not committing overseas adventures, he broke his promise about lowering the cost of prescription drugs, he broke his promise about bringing prices down in America, he was totally unable to fulfill his promise about bringing manufacturing jobs to the US, his tariffs created ridiculous amounts of chaos around the world, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of small businesses, and nearly bankrupting farmers throughout America.

The man has been an absolute disaster and with this current war in Iran he has gone way too far, if the goon had any decency or dignity within him he would resign, admit his failures and ride off into the sunset with his additional ill gotten billions, where none of us had to be affected by his putrid skank, and his ridiculous and toxic nature.